The next update 2.1 Engineers (1.6 to basegame-only owners) scheduled for April release?

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StuartGT

StuartGT
http://www.londonstockexchange.com/exchange/news/market-news/market-news-detail/FDEV/12719733.html
2 March 2016

Frontier Developments plc

Trading Update re delay in product release dates

Frontier Developments plc (AIM: FDEV, "Frontier", the "Group"), a leading developer of video games, announces that following a review of the development of the next stage of Elite Dangerous: Horizons ("EDH"), the Board of Frontier has determined that this will take place after the end of the current financial year, being 31 May 2016.

As previously announced, EDH was initially released in 'early access' in December 2015. Coming out of 'early access' was originally expected to take place during April 2016, coinciding with the planned launch of EDH's next expansion, "The Engineers". However, this - along with associated revenues - will now take place in the first half of the next financial year.

Therefore, second half revenues will be substantially below prior expectations.

Commenting on this David Braben, CEO said
"Over a number of years, Frontier has established an outstanding track record of meeting demanding release schedules and exceptional quality thresholds, so this delay is disappointing. However, it is absolutely critical for the longer-term success of the Elite franchise that we maintain our absolute commitment to quality. Despite this temporary setback, the Board and I remain very excited both by the potential of the Elite franchise and the progress that Frontier is making as it transitions to self-publishing."
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Translation of the statement:

  • 2.1 Engineers is scheduled for release in April.
  • Accounting-wise, Horizons will now "leave early access" and be considered "released" after 31st May.
  • Accounting-wise, revenue from the sales of Horizons will be deferred to FY2016-2017's financials (starting June 1st), instead of being included in FY2015-2016's financials (which ends May 31st).
  • FDev will pay less tax in FY2015-2016, choosing instead to pay more the following year.
 
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Ian Phillips

Volunteer Moderator
Ian Phillips
Actually, reading that, it says Originally scheduled for April, but delayed until June. *

<Edit>
* until at least June, to be completely accurate.
 
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pryzm

P
And around now if this is the case from the FD bean counters, would not it be time for a new dev update, a newsletter with some actual information or a shiny video or something to instill some confidence? this is sad news indeed.
 

withnail

withnail
I read it as after 31 May 2016.

I hope that helps.

Edit: and before December 2016 too.

I am sooooo on the ball with this.
 
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tanthil

T
How 2.1 for Horizon, will impact base game? I assume that engineer content will be only available for horizon , right?
 

Robert Maynard

Volunteer Moderator
Robert Maynard
Added a "?" to the thread title as it is speculation - and not in agreement with some interpretations of the published announcement.
 

Commander Debic

Commander Debic
I must have read the news letters and announcements wrong then as I seem to have the impression that 2.1 first part of Engineers was due out around 1-2 weeks from now. This is a little sad then.
But I guess if FD are putting 5 upgrades in to Horizons over this next period of expansion, they will either have to do 1 a month after the June one or take two years until the next major update to the game.
 
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Ian Phillips

Volunteer Moderator
Ian Phillips
@tanthil

Unknown right now.

FD were talking about 2.1 including Engineers (the Horizons update) as well as a mission overhaul, which was for the base game as well. I expect that there will be some sort of clarification on whether everything is being pushed back, or if there will be an interim update for Elite Dangerous.... shortly :)
 

Martian Successor

Martian Successor
Does this mean the planned release for the Engineers update has been officially pushed back until June?

FDev deciding to pay less tax this year but more tax next year leads me to believe that Horizons sales didn't go as well as expected. And now I can see why FD want to start monetising the naming of NPCs, planets, systems, etc.
 

withnail

withnail
Heh, I had no idea that there was a release date, so it has not bothered me at all.

Glad to see that they are worried about content and quality control. I'm sure they want to get it out so they can earn money from it, so a big call was made there.
 

Tanith Low

Tanith Low
Interesting.

Could also be read as, "we were going to come out of early access when we released 2.1, but now we are going to come out of early access later than that."

Fairly standard FDev statement, answers one question and raises 2 more! :D
 
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StuartGT

StuartGT
Ian Phillips said:
Actually, reading that, it says Originally scheduled for April, but delayed until June. *

<Edit>
* until at least June, to be completely accurate.
Click to expand...
I've underlined the two sections that are directly related:
GTuk said:
Coming out of 'early access' was originally expected to take place during April 2016, coinciding with the planned launch of EDH's next expansion, "The Engineers". However, this - along with associated revenues

Click to expand...
"This" refers to "coming out of early access", not "next expansion". Furthermore The Engineers doesn't have "associated revenue" as it's a free update to Horizons (with parts of it free to the basegame).
 

Ian Phillips

Volunteer Moderator
Ian Phillips
GTuk said:
I've underlined the two sections that are directly related:

"This" refers to "coming out of early access", not "next expansion". Furthermore The Engineers doesn't have "associated revenue" as it's a free update to Horizons (with parts of it free to the basegame).
Click to expand...

I was looking at the heading... "Trading Update re delay in product release dates"
 

sensai25

sensai25
Doesn't sounds good.

Really hope an interview or a thread from David himself to expose us FD plans for this year.

Doesn't really give me confidence in Elite game future development.

(Lifetime pass owner here)
 
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